Saturday, July 19th, 2008

Students go ‘Into the Streets,’ volunteer for Center

The KU Center for Community Outreach gives students opportunities to make a difference in the community

The week-long event provides events such as volunteering at the Jubilee Café and the Empty Bowl Project.

By Brenna Hawley (Contact)

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Into the Streets Week raises awareness this week for volunteering opportunities available at the KU Center for Community Outreach.

The week began Saturday with the Douglas County AIDS Project Walk in downtown Lawrence. Throughout the week, an event will be put on for almost each program the center offers.

The Center for Community Outreach, which has almost 2,000 volunteers at the University, offers 15 programs for student volunteers. Programs include the Jubilee Café, which provides breakfast twice a week for community members in need of a warm meal, and Mentors in the Lives of Kids, which volunteers with local children.

Ali Ziegler, Philippines sophomore, coordinates the week-long event and said the Center held fun activities for students such as crafts and interaction with children. She said Into the Streets Week brought in more student volunteers to the Center.

“We can advertise, but the best way to do it is to see the programs in action,” Ziegler said.

Dan Pierron, Olathe senior and co-director of the Center, said one of his favorite events of the week was today’s Empty Bowl Project. People paid $5 a bowl to paint and fire them at Sunfire Ceramics 1002 New Hampshire St. The bowls have been filled with meat chili, vegetarian chili and brownies and will be given away from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wescoe Beach for a $5 suggested donation.

Another highlight of the week is today’s Mentors in the Lives of Kids Recess at 3:30 p.m. at Woodlawn Elementary. 508 Elm St. Volunteers go to the school and play games such as kickball with the children.

Amanda McIntosh, Clay Center junior and program coordinator, said it was important to have a volunteering resource for students on campus. She said the more accessible the Center was, the more likely students were to volunteer.

“Volunteering gives you a look at the bigger picture,” McIntosh said.

She said Into the Streets Week gave students many opportunities to volunteer, but that they didn’t have to choose just one option to be interested in.

Pierron said the best way to get involved with the Center was to visit its Web site at www.ku.edu/~cco. He said the Center sent out weekly emails and each program had its own e-mail list server. He said there was also a calendar and a list of community organizations posted. The Center’s offices are on the fourth floor of the Kansas Union.

— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld

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